Penpen its nice to see you're getting back into the fat and yes it does settle your appetite where your cravings are almost nil. I guess that's the main purpose of induction. once the carbs are used up by our bodies we stay full longer and cravings are diminished.

Be careful what you read on other threads. Some are going by the new Atkins (DANDR) I understand in that book lots of different veggies, cheese and nuts are introduced back into the body early. But in the original Atkins 72 (DADR) the only veggies allowed is 2 small salads made with celery or cucumbers and radishes. Kale is not introduced until after induction. Induction is only for a week (although some stay longer) and then you slowly introduce other vegetables, cheese into your diet, but when you do this you have to pay attention to your body cravings and appetite. I think this is where a food log comes in handy. If you're having extreme cravings,etc you can always look back to see what foods might be causing it, i.e. I use to eat fried eggs fried in butter or bacon fat, but i was always hungry an hour after, but whenever I scrambled my egg my appetite was curved for much longer. The weird part is, when I scramble my eggs in the microwave I don't use butter and they're still filling.

I guess what I'm trying to say be careful what you read on other threads especially if they're not following atkins 72. Also, once you complete induction, don't rush to put other foods into your body, try to introduce them one at a time, that will be the only way you know what does or doesn't work for you. Good luck.

__________________"There are no problems only solutions." John Lennon

"Remember, your tape measure is a better friend than your scale, not only more accurate, but better able to report on the actual fat losses..." Dr. Atkins

Oh, I agree sideal! I read every post of the groups and came away kinda confused and that's when I remembered the nutritionalists talking about the original Atkins diet and zoomed in on this group.
I kinda think that the post-Atkins crew caved in to popular misinformation about the diet and tried to "gussy it up" to suit the latecomers in order to keep the brand alive. Not necessary, I think, because the had it right the first time. Atkins definitely lead the way for every diet/doctor that deals with carbs today and they owe him for their success today. it's a shame the way they tried to demonize him for his research.
Also, how odd is that about the eggs being scrambled! Who the heck knows what's going on inside our bodies, it's too hard for me to try to grasp. I don't have a microwave so the frying pan and oven are my only friends.
You ladies are such an inspiration to me! You get up every day and do your darndest to do your best and THAT isn't easy! Keep up the great work!
Today is Super Bowl Sunday where we've been brainwashed into believing that it should be a national holiday by advertisers. eh, it's just another Sunday watching PBS for me.
~snort~ One day I sat and wrote down every tv show that I liked to watch.
Grand total: 5 (sorta)
The Big Bang
Downton Abbey
Any Masterpiece mystery series
Nova
any PBS sewing, quilting, knitting, beading program (mostly reruns that I've seen a zillion times)
Ain't I a cultural snob!

and with that, I give you my foods of yesterday:
B~ EAS, coffee, whipping cream
L~ 4 pieces of hot, tasty, dripping bacon (took me 45 minutes to eat but then I was full for the day)
D~ baked garlic chicken leg

Good morning ladies
Well I am happy to say this morning I was down to 146lbs from 150lbs. We will see if I keep going down though because I have been here before. I hear everyone about all the crazy information out there. I am going to buy the original book on Amazon and follow only that. SL I will wait on the kale as suggested and stick with the basics. My BF is looking on Amazon for the Adkins 72 book and he found one for $88.00.
I don't think so.....I found one for $8.
Got up early this morning and went bike riding. Now I am sitting with ice on my knee so it won't hurt all day. We do not have any plans for Superbowl but that is a good thing.
I have actually noticed the same thing with the eggs myself. Maybe the scrambled eggs are harder to digest so they hold you longer. Hard boiled eggs don't do much for me either.
OK going to take a shower and clear out some more crap out of my kitchen. If I haven't used it in the last two years it is going!
Thank you everyone for all you advice and suggestions!!
Cheryl hope everything at the farm is going well. I have learned a little more about you reading you journal. Sounds like the farm and the horses are giving you purpose.

Hello Ladies!!! You're all so cute. I loved reading your posts on our new thread. Seems like we're entering a new more confidant phase this month, doesn't it? I can feel it! PenPen, you dropped 4 lbs? That's wonderful! Don't say, "but I've been there before." So have I, but we have to go through "there" to get to where we're going.

$88 Atkins book? Gilded edges? Signed by the Author? Too funny. Maybe it was a typo and the person completed the ad and never checked it for errors. He's going to have that book for a very long time. At least I hope so!

I don't like HB eggs for a couple of reasons. First, they hardly ever peal easily and I lose a lot of the white along with the shell. Then I get frustrated. Also, I don't like the rubbery whites of the HB egg. When you scramble them, it's like everything is as it should be. I put a little cream, some Tabasco, salt and pepper and sometimes some cheese in mine. After Induction, I saute onions and mushrooms and make a super spectacular scrambled egg extravaganza! Add bacon and you don't even need to eat again until tomorrow!

Today is not only Superbowl Sunday, it is my day to clean. I am going to get busy doing that. Once I get the dishwasher loaded and turned on, I will cook myself some yummy, cheese-less scrambled eggs with lots of butter. Not in the mood for bacon this time. I have too much work to do. I'll brew a pot of coffee and get to moving!

Oh, I agree with the HB egg scenario. I sometimes think I'm just not as patient as I used to be and I have to admit that I've chucked a few HB eggs into the trash, mid-peel.
Just finished making some baked cheeseflakes in the oven are they are quite yummy.
1 C shredded cheddar
1 C shredded mozzarella
1 C Kraft in the green tube "powdered" parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp Mrs Dash Tomato, Basil, Pizza Spice

mix it all up and drop by mounded tsp onto non-stick cookie sheet leaving about an inch between piles.

Bake @ 350 degrees for around 6-8 minutes. When edges are nicely browned, remove to paper towels by scooping off pan with a fork. Tastes like mini pizzas! I can only eat about 3 a day because they are a little salty but I store them like cookies after they are completely cold. Would be great crumbled on a salad with some bacon.
Next time I make some I'm going to try some crumbled blue cheese in place of the parmesan and see how they turn out.

YUMMY! What do you think makes them so salty? Can these be used as crackers for stuff like tuna salad? If you make them larger, would the be good for tuna melts in the toaster oven? Just trying to get a better picture of what could be done with this recipe. I love all LC ideas that help to replace things like bread and crackers.

I think the nuked deluxe american cheese slices might be good enough for the tuna melts but I haven't tried it yet. It worked pretty well for cheeseburgers (well, the cheese was the "bread". I didn't add cheese to the burger.

I'm watching House of Cards on Netflix. OMG. Nasty! I love Kevin Spacey. Going to watch the second episode now. See yaw later.

Oh, definitely, they can replace crackers. They melt into big cheese cookies. Could top them with tuna mix (or any type meat spread) and they would be delish! I think it's just the usual salt that's in cheese that's multiplied times 3 that makes them like that. They sure are tasty, though. I'm not a big fan of the Kraft parmesan but I've got a huge container of the stuff that I need to use up and after that's gone, no more for me!

Mix up with taco shredded cheese mix and top with some sour cream and a juicy slice of jalapeno and you've got a pure nacho!
Colby mix and cooked hamburger or bacon on top with some horseradish and yum! Nifty little treats for a snack or meal.

After the cheese rounds are baked they stay crisp for about a week wrapped in waxed paper or kept in a cookie jar unrefrigerated. You could top them with just about anything and have with some chicken wings as a side. After this batch is gone I'll try a mix that includes the blue cheese. Can you tell I love blue cheese?

Evening everyone
Sweetie : those sound really good. In a few weeks I will give them a try for sure.
OK so I have spent the majority of the day reading the Adkins book. So when was it decided to watch the bacon? That almost took all the fun out!! I have to admit I have eaten several pieces today. For some reason I have been snacking today and I am not sure if it is due to hunger or because I have been home all day. I didn't eat a lot for breakfast so maybe that is why?
So far today
B: two hard boiled eggs
L: shrimp with mayo dip, salad with chicken, radishes and blue cheese dressing
S: bacon x 4 2 slices of roast beef and 2 of turkey breast : no fillers in either, one baby bel cheese
D: roasted chicken breast with skin, put butter on top and three deviled eggs
I had made a small salad but didn't end up eating it and only ate half of the chicken breast. Guess my snacking caught up with me.
So just a few questions
1. Dr. Adkins talks about dressings and suggests oil/vinegar or the blue cheese they mention using diet ones? Am I OK using the regular blue cheese? Mine has 0 carbs and no sugar listed.
2. Cheese - says no processed cheese. Don"t the Kraft singles fall in that category? It says cheese within wax wrapping.
Hopefully I lose another lb or two before Wednesday, I am dreading getting on the scale at the doctor's office. I am going to fast in case they do blood work in the office (it will also help keep my weight down)
We were invited next door for a Superbowl party but I knew they will be drinking and I will want something too. Better to sit this one out.
If you like hard boiled eggs but hate to peel them try putting them in ice water right after they are finished, then peel them within 15 mins.
So I watched a show today on the biography of Tiger Woods. Wow I had no idea about the things he went through with his father. No wonder he has issues!! His father was retired military and trained him to learn golf with military strategy. The poor kid never had friends to play with because he was always practicing. He was also having multiple affairs for a long time before the big story came out. Multiple women all over the country. He liked to play rough trying to be the dominant one.....geez to figure why.

Sweetie, I'm going to write down your cracker recipe and try those this week. Thanks again for posting it.

PenPen, I have to correct you on the spelling of the good Dr's name. It's Atkins with a T, not a D. I'm not sure what you mean when you say, "watch the bacon". I looked in the back of his book under "bacon" and there isn't any place where he isn't talking about it in a recipe or something like that. I remember saying I was going to skip the bacon with my eggs today. If that's what you were referring to, I just didn't feel like making any. Sometimes I go for the quick and easy meal. I don't gorge on bacon, though. I like it but not to the point of having it daily.

Good idea to skip the Superbowl party. That would be tough to stay on-plan during. Keep in mind when Dr Atkins wrote that book, it was 1972. He might have said "oil and vinegar" just because most bottled salad dressings had sugar in them. Just go by the carb count on the nutrition panel, but it never hurts to keep an eye on ingredient lists, too. Just to see if they've snuck in some MSG or other nasty stuff.

Looks like the 49ers are getting trounced. I'm not watching it but turned it on around 8 o'clock to see how it was going. I couldn't care less about watching team sports.

Yes, during Induction, no soft cheeses allowed. I screwed up by making that creamy mustard sauce for the pork tenderloin cause it has cream cheese in it and it's hard to limit how much of that sauce I eat. I need to back-off for a week or so and just eat things that don't require cream cheese in or on them. I want to keep the losses going strong, if I can. Week two is underway!

I was looking at Accuweather and it looks like we only have a few more weeks of intermittent 20-30 degree weather days left. Gradually we slide up into the 40's and beyond. I couldn't be much happier. I am so over winter right about now. We usually have one big storm before the season ends, so I won't be surprised when it hits us. Won't cry if it doesn't come, either.

Have a nice night, ladies. Let's do our best to walk the line this week. One slip often leads to many more like them. It's much easier to "just say no."

PS: Thanks for the tip on HB eggs but I like mine warm. I don't leave them in the cool water for very long before I peal them. Sometimes they peal nicely, sometimes they don't. It sucks, but I have heard that adding baking soda to the water in the pan helps them to peal better. I don't have any but I should write myself a note to buy some and give it a go. It would be worth the try!

Cheryl: I was under the impression that we had to limit the bacon due to the nitrates. I was questioning it because in the book he does seem to mention eating bacon quite often. The only place I can find bacon without it is at Whole Foods and it is very expensive.
Also do you consider the slices of the deluxe cheese allowed during induction?
Wow can you just image the craziness going on backstage when the lights went out???? Seems to have helped the 49ers though because they have scored 17 points since they came back on!

Just finished making some baked cheeseflakes in the oven are they are quite yummy. sweetie ♥♥

Sweetie hope you don't mind but I decided to copy your cheeseflake recipe to my journal. I'm a freak for cheese and this definitely sounds like something I can include in my diet once I reach my mark. Thanks for sharing.

__________________"There are no problems only solutions." John Lennon

"Remember, your tape measure is a better friend than your scale, not only more accurate, but better able to report on the actual fat losses..." Dr. Atkins

Sweetie, the book tells us what to do or not do during Induction. We sometimes bend those rules, but if you choose not to, that's not a big problem. I for one am going to stop the cream cheese and save that for a few weeks down the line. It's too hard to limit quantity. And the american cheese is something I'll only use when really necessary. I have always hated american cheese. It's so "blah." I wish it didn't carry the American name!

Bacon has nitrates but if they aren't affecting your losses, don't worry about it. It's just one of those things that can't be avoided. But if I were you, I wouldn't use bacon as your go-to snack. I think you were the one who cooks it up in a large batch and then keeps it in the refrigerator for snacking. I wouldn't do that every day. But that's me! Do what you need to do in order to be happy on your LC journey.

I put a leave-in conditioning treatment in my hair last night. It will be interesting to see how my hair is after I shower and blow dry. (I did it to try and cut down on all the static cling I get in the winter months.) I have the farm today and it is another 20 degree day. I'm so tired of winter. Tired of wearing hats and coats and having my cheeks feel like icicles.

Spring is just around the corner. I can feel it! Plus the long-range forecast confirms my belief. I think our below-freezing days are numbered.

My eggs got a little frozen in the fridge this week. I took them out at noon so they can thaw before I need to make my hearty meal before the farm. I will take all my vitos and bring plenty of water and I'll do my very best to stay strong and keep my stamina up. I have no idea if I have a volunteer today but I think I do. Most come so late that it's almost like not having anybody. I will hopefully adjust and get over it. If not, it will be a continual source of frustration and I can't have that.

Sorry. I thought I was on my journal and forgot where I was. Hope you don't mind all my yammering.

Have a great day, ladies. BBL. , Lola! Come out and play! When you coming home? We miss you. Miss you too, Donna.

Hi Everybody! I'm back home! yay! I am so glad to be back.
I missed you all. I worked ridiculous hours with days starting at 6:30am and ending at 9pm - so tired every evening that I did not feel like getting online on my phone. i am so glad everybody is doing well. i skimmed through the posts and will go back for a better read. It is a bit hectic although I am back home as quite a bit is happening on the home front as well at work.
Weight was a bit up but I thought that might be because of the flying and odd meal times and foods. I kept pretty much to plan except for Saturday and Sunday when i visited my mum and did not feel like pointing out that I cannot eat pretty much everything she had prepared for my homecoming. I felt that it would have been a bit hurtful for her so I sucked it in and ate what she offered. I am back on track as soon as I left her home. She is doing quite well as the meds are really helping her.
Take care everybody and I will post with more news.

YaY! welcome home Lola! Traveling is so exhausting isn't it? Especially when you make time for your family. So glad your Mother is doing better and that you made her happy by eating her special cooking just for you. ♥ I know that made her feel good.
You rest and take time to get back into your groove. Take care of yourself!
Yup, I cook big batches of bacon and keep it in the fridge but I sometimes forget it's in there so it's kinda hit or miss for me. I do love the bacon, though!

That's great, Sweetie! Since I started using the Ez Sweetz, there was no going back. They're very convenient to take with you when you are leaving the house, too. (Love that: "My cheese is your cheese.")

Lola! home!!! I would have done the exact same thing in your position, at your Mom's. There are more important things than sticking to our plans. You blessed your Mother by allowing her to bless you.

What a horrendous time you've had! REST now and come back here when you've been able to do more than just catch your breath. Glad to know you're home again, though. We can be patient now that we know it won't be much longer.

I had a very busy and COLD afternoon at the farm. Will tell all tomorrow. Hugs and kisses to all my LC friends. Sleep well and stay warm.

Hi Everybody
Weight today is 66.2kg. Got to get rid of the travel weight and then I feel as if I am in the right space of mind.
I am in another workshop at the moment that will finish by end of day Wednesday. The food is not right but I am carrying my own food.
Will catch up later.

Morning Ladies
Lola welcome back!! Glad to hear your Mom is feeling better. I agree with everyone else that you did the right thing with the food. You can always just limit the amount you eat but to refuse would have hurt her feelings. Traveling is always fun for me but I am always happy to get home. Long days definately take their toll on your body though, that one I can relate to.
Happy to hear everyone is moving right along. My ketone sticks are still showing between small and medium amounts but I guess that is something. I was feeling somewhat hungery last night around 9:00pm for some reason. I ate a good dinner but I thought about eating something but decided against it, it was almost 10:00pm by the time I got home and that is a little to late in my book.
Yesterday:
B: eggs/cheese/bacon - coffee with HWC/ I use truvia for my sweetner
L: salad with chicken and cucumbers - ranch dressing
S: baby bel cheese 1 - 5 shrimp with mayo dip
D: flank steak and salad with ranch

My weight has gone back up 2 lbs but who knows why. I have been sticking to the plan so I will just wait until the end of the week and see how it goes.
So my son was asking for advice on what to get his girlfriend (17) for Valentines Day. Besides candy, stuffed bear and necklace, any suggestions?

Something I found last night that I thought you might like to read:
WHY THE SCALES CAN LIE

A biologist at Berkeley shared something very revealing on the low-carb BBS system about 4 years ago that helps us all through the erratic weight fluctuations you invariably encounter: Fat cells are resilient, stubborn little creatures that do not want to give up their actual cell volume. Over a period of weeks, maybe months of "proper dieting", each of your fat cells may have actually lost a good percentage of the actual fat contained in those cells. But the fat cells themselves, stubborn little guys, replace that lost fat with water to retain their size. That is, instead of shrinking to match the reduced amount of fat in the cell, they stay the same size! Result - you weigh the same, look the same, maybe even gained some scale weight, even though you have actually lost some serious fat.

The good news is that this water replacement is temporary. It's a defensive measure to keep your body from changing too rapidly. It allows the fat cell to counter the rapid change in cell composition, allowing for a slow, gradual reduction in cell size. The problem is, most people are frustrated with their apparent lack of success, assume they have lost nothing, and stop dieting.

However, if you give those fat cells some time, like 4-6 months, and ignore the scale weight fluctuations, your real weight/shape will slowly begin to show. The moral of the story - be patient! Your body is changing even if the number on the scale isn't.

PATTERNS OF WEIGHT LOSS

Common patterns of weight loss from tracking a lot of people who become assimilated into the low carb lifestyle, a pattern emerges.... the 2 week induction is pretty heady...weight lost just about every single day, enormous and unbelievable amounts of weight loss are reported. This is often followed by complaints that weight loss "stalls" or that the rate drops to only 1 pound per week.

Many people just don't know that fat-loss ...the actual goal when on a weight-reduction" diet, is rate-limited. In other words, the human body has factors that prevent more than a certain amount of fatty-acid release from storage...and even more factors that prevent those released fatty acids from being used up instead of stored back into the fat cells.

A priority of the human body is survival. Anything that threatens its survival results in the cascade of events to maintain the previous status quo. Water fluctuations are one way the body does this. OK...so you done good on Atkins' during induction...lost 10 pounds the first 2 weeks. Maybe 7 the first week and 3 the second. But, whoa! Weeks 3 and 4 there is NO loss! And weeks 5 and 6 is only 1/2 pound each!

So... what gives? Initially, the body jettisons the water attached to the glycogen stores that we diligently deplete to get into ketosis...this accounts for about 3-5 pounds of water. In addition, muscle stores of glycogen are not being replaced when used...which will account for the rest. All in all...MAYBE 1/2 pound of fat was metabolized during the first week... and MAYBE 1/2 pound of fat was metabolized the 2nd week. Of that 10 initial pounds, only 1 pound was fat and 9 pounds water...

The body senses this lack and sirens start shrieking: Warning! Warning! Losing water... new thing...got to get back to the status quo! Brain tells body to produce and release that vasopressin anti-diuretic hormone....more water is retained, and no weight loss noticed. Fat loss is still occurring, MAYBE even 2 pounds per week, because ketosis is firmly established and appetite suppression is in effect...but water retention is hiding that continuing fat loss. The body is preventing dehydration with this mechanism, and that's a good thing.

From the perspective of the scale, it can be discouraging. Which is why the mantra: Water retention masks fat loss (repeated frequently to oneself) is helpful. Water retention will mask ongoing fat-loss for as long as the body retains the water. We can combat this by drinking more water...but we aren't going to totally overcome this mechanism during the initial water-loss phase of the Atkins diet. By weeks 5 and 6, things start to get back in balance, and the scale will begin to reflect the true fat-loss...which, as mentioned before is rate-limited.

Individuals vary, but max weight loss runs about 2 pounds per week...under extremely optimal conditions... or 1% of body weight (whichever is the lower number). So don't use the scale as an excuse to undermine your progress. Even when the scale is in a stall, fat loss can be occurring.

Cheryl I hope your Spring weather comes soon, I can't imagine working outside in low temperatures. But I guess it's a different story when you actually enjoy and love what you do. We're experiencing low temperatures here (upper/mid 60's) and I'm very uncomfortable. Thankfully I have a few wool suits stashed in the closet that I can wear to work.

Lola we're so happy to have you back as you can tell we really missed you. I'm glad you had an opportunity to spend some time with your mother and she's feeling much better. Heck, if you were my daughter and I cooked for you and you refuse to eat it, I would be upset. Let's face it, it's not everyday you have your mother to cook those good ole home cook meals. So you were right to enjoy it!

Penpen you sound like you're on the right track, just hang in there. Our body's are different. I definitely don't lose as quickly as others, and yes sometimes I do get discouraged, but you have to hang in there. Continue to play around with your foods until you find what works best for you. If I learned anything on this journey it's PATIENCE. This weight isn't moving fast enough for me but I'm learning to be patient with my body. Although we don't have to count calories, I still try to make sure my carbs are low and I don't overeat. I can be a compulsive eater at times so I try to be very careful.

Sweetie I've never heard of the EZ Sweetner before. Can you cook with it also? I know my sister might be travelling this way in March, and it might be something I'll ask her to bring to me. Please let me know if it leaves an aftertaste. So far I enjoy splenda but I'm always weary of the carbs especially when I'm doing my little spots of baking. I did find the Splenda Mini's that work out quite well when you're dining out. They're these tiny little tablets that come in a small plastic case. I find it much more handier than traveling around with the packets. However, I'm always open to something new and better.

Hope everybody have a fantastic day!

__________________"There are no problems only solutions." John Lennon

"Remember, your tape measure is a better friend than your scale, not only more accurate, but better able to report on the actual fat losses..." Dr. Atkins

Sideal, that EZ Sweet stuff is Cheryl's discovery. I thought T'd try it since Cheryl uses it and it has no carbs. It kinda ticks me off that every little packet of splenda contains 1 carb each. Some days I used 3 or 4 packs and took in 3 or 4 empty carbs. I'll give you my review after I've used it for a week.
Today I had to take my van in for an oil change at 8 and didn't have time for my coffee. Since then I've been cranky mc crankster and my kitties are hiding from me. heehee Looks like I've finally become the mean old lady that hates everybody and everything.

Pen, thank you for sharing that incredible weight loss info! Like I said, I have no idea what my goofy body is doing inside. Thank goodness there are others out there with the brain cells to figure this all out!

Lola, don't sweat it. You're doing great, under the circumstances. I can see that you're really in the right place, mind-set wise. That's where the real battle takes place. I'm glad to hear about your Mother, too.

PenPen, I would suggest dinner and a movie for your son to give his girlfriend. I think a lovely evening together means more than a flower or a box of chocolates. Sorry for the 2 lb jump on the scale. I hate when that happens! You're doing well in the eating-department. KUTGW. And thanks for posting that information on the scales. We all need to hear that from time to time.

sldeal, brrrrrr! 60! I hear you but you crack me up. My cousin in West Palm Beach, FL is the same exact way. She's got the heat blasting away and I think the weather's perfect and would rather open my bedroom window (when I used to be visiting with her. Been 10 years since I saw her. She's getting up there in age, too. She's my Dad's cousin so my second cousin.)

Compulsive eating. Yeah.

Ez Sweetz (notice you can click on that) is liquid splenda. Netrition sells it. You can cook with it. Zero carbs. I've never found it in a local store. I've never noticed an aftertaste but I've been using it for a few years now. If you order some from Netrition, see if they have other things you want to buy at the same time. There is only one shipping and handling charge for the entire order. If you order one thing, you aren't getting your money's worth.

But be forewarned; if you opt for the larger bottle, it isn't the concentrated kind! I'm glad I didn't learn that the hard way. The tiny bottles are concentrated and that's what I buy.

I remember back in the day, they used to have those itty bitty sweetener tabs in a container, like you're saying. I forget if it was Sweet 'n Low or something else.

Cranky McCrankster! I hope (for everyone's sake) that you find a coffee while you're waiting for your car. I just got my oil changed last week!

It's taken me ages to complete this post cause I had a few interruptions so I'm going to post now before writing more.

I'm bored with the food I have in the house, so I decided to go through my LC recipes and see what I want to make this month. I could see this was going to be an extensive shopping trip and then thought of getting the refrigerator ready to handle all the new food. I decided to put it off until tomorrow. That's just how I roll.

I really just wanted someone to cook for me. I considered driving down to McDonald's which is very nearby but then I thought of the place I usually get delivery pizza from. They have a lot more than just pizza, so I scanned through their menu (happened to have about 6 of them in the house) and called to ask about two salmon meals that I was interested in.

I chose something that is salmon with spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic, tomatoes, lemon, butter and wine sauce. I said "no sugar, no flour, no thanks on the potato, and hold the bread." Forgot to say "hold the olives" cause they stuck a bunch on my little tossed salad. I hate those little suckers. I might toss the salad into my salad spinner just so I can try and get every hint of olive flavor out of it. Picked out the carrot slices and gave to Cissy.

It was very good! Very soupy so I put it in a bowl and ate it with a spoon. Very satisfying and yummy. One I will order again sometime when I'm feeling lazy. The other salmon dish was stuffed with goat cheese and green onion. That doesn't have sugar or flour in it, either.

I forgot until I ate my meal, but I could have ordered Cisco a slice of pizza! They sell slices, though I've never bought one. Next time I'll get 2 slices, and I'll eat the toppings and give her the bread. We'll both be rolling around on the floor, satisfied and feeling fine.

It's already getting dark and it's only 3:30! Seems earlier than usual. Maybe cause it's overcast but still seems awfully early to me.

Cheryl can you tell me if the EZ Sweetz leaves an aftertaste? I've ordered from Netrition before and I was very pleased with their service. It's not the shipping that concerns me it's the duty charges we have to pay once items get here. Duty can sometimes be as much as 45% plus some other charges. So a $6 bottle can easily cost me $12.

If my sister decides to travel this way I'm only going to ask her to bring a few items - nothing heavy. Thanks for the heads up, I'll definitely remember to order 2 of the smaller bottles. Hoping it will last for a while. Just need to know about the aftertaste.

Thanks

__________________"There are no problems only solutions." John Lennon

"Remember, your tape measure is a better friend than your scale, not only more accurate, but better able to report on the actual fat losses..." Dr. Atkins

I don't know how to answer your question because it is entirely a matter of opinion. I've been using it for around 3 years now. It tastes like an artificial sweetener. Maybe the only thing that doesn't taste artificial is sugar itself. I don't think there is an aftertaste but you might feel differently. How does regular powdered Splenda taste to you? This is liquid Splenda so tastes the same, just doesn't have the carbs that the powdered stuff has.

I can hear your concern, being in the Bahamas. My advice for you is to just forget about it. Stick with the powdered stuff and just try remember and count the carbs in the totals for your day. Why don't you have your sister order a couple bottles and have her bring them with her when she comes to visit? That would be the easiest and cheapest answer to the situation.